Barclays is eliminating at least seven posts in its Scandinavian and continental European fixed-income teams as part of its job cuts across the investment bank, according to people with knowledge of the matter.

The first time I visited Scandinavia (Stockholm, as it happens) I was struck by three things. First, how tall, blonde and attractive the people were. Second, how they liked to sunbathe at every opportunity, regardless of location (ring roads, office car parks, you name it). And third, how incredibly drunk they liked to get on Wednesdays.